Karzai inauguration set for Nov. 19
Last Updated: Thursday, November 12, 2009 | 11:12 AM ET
CBC News
German Defenve Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, left, speaks with Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, right, during a meeting in Kabul on Thursday. (Michael Kappeler, pool/Associated Press) Afghan President Hamid Karzai will be inaugurated for his second five-year term in office on Nov. 19.
The ceremony for Karzai will take place at a heavily guarded palace compound in the capital Kabul.
Arrangements are currently underway for the inauguration, said Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi on Thursday.
A date for swearing-in Karzai's new cabinet has not been set.
Karzai was recently declared the winner of Afghanistan's presidential election after his competitor in a scheduled run-off vote — former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah — dropped out with just days to go.
The run-off was scheduled to be held this month after the first round of voting was marred by widespread fraud, but Abdullah dropped out because he said the run-off could not be conducted freely or fairly until changes were made to the election commission.
The inauguration is expected to draw foreign dignitaries, even though Karzai's relationship with some members of the global community is strained.
Earlier this month, after Karzai had been declared winner of the election, U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned that continued support for Afghanistan hinges on its government moving to clean up corruption.
